Wildfires in Texas, Oklahoma: Massive burn scar seen from space
At least one person has died in the massive fires that have been burning across the Texas panhandle and rapidly spreading into Oklahoma. The wildfires have left a huge burn scar visible from space, with satellite images showing the extent of the damage on the ground. The burn scars—that stretch from the Texas Panhandle into western Oklahoma—have singed plants, killed livestock, altered soil layers, and left a lot of debris.
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Fuelled by extraordinarily high temperatures, strong winds, and dry grass, the Texas wildfires have ravaged over 2,50,000 acres of land, as per NBC news. Weather officials cautioned that worsening weather conditions may exacerbate the flames, especially on Friday and during the weekend. The rapidly spreading wildfires now pose a threat to towns, prompting evacuations and causing power outages in dozens of cities.
Active firefight expected to continue for days
Emergency services worker Troy Schwiegerath told CNN that firefighting efforts are expected to continue for days as the fires grow and adverse weather approaches. "We don't have all the fires out. "We're still currently fighting fires," Schwiegerath said, adding that they are "going to have three more days of fire." Governor Greg Abbott has declared a disaster in 60 counties and urged Texans "to limit activities that could create sparks and take precautions to keep their loved ones safe."
Video of fire crew driving amid rising flames goes viral
Amid the unrelenting fires, a dramatic video capturing a crew navigating through towering flames of the Smokehouse Creek blaze on Tuesday has gone viral. The video shows enormous flames engulfing the sides of a bridge as the fire crew advances. It also shows a fire whirl—caused by superheated air creating swirling winds and a rotating column of fire—hovering dangerously close to their vehicle.
Watch: Firefighters drive through flames
Family identifies woman killed in fire
The victim who died in the fire was identified as Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old former substitute teacher from Stinnett. Her grandson, Lee Quesada, sought help in a community forum to locate her. Deputies later informed the family that Blankenship's remains had been found in her burned home. Blankenship is the first confirmed death from the wildfire outbreak.